Operating mechanism for flue dampers



March 12, 1935. w. B. MATHr-:ws 1,994,365

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR FLUE DAMPERS Fiied Feb'. 19, 1952 ooo@ ooo@ j ooooo OOOQQ f,

Patented Mar. 12, 1935 OPERATING MECHANISM Fon ELU'E DAMPEas Y Wallace Bruce Mathewahicago, Ill., assigner to Standard Oil Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Indiana Application February 19, issa'serial No. 5921.048V

1 Claim.

This invention relates to an operating mecha-- nism for flue dampers located in underground flues connecting oil heaters to chimneys or stacks.

'I'he object of my invention is toprovide automatic means for opening such a Vdamper in case of an emergency. The invention is particularly applicable for use in connection with pipe stills where oil is h eated Vin tubes under high pressures; incase `of tube failure my invention provides for a means whereby the re is drawn through the flue and thence up through the stack or chimney so that as much of the heat as possible may be dissipated away from adjoining structures and so that operators may come close enough to the still to manipulate the necessary valves for shutting off the oil.

A further object is to provide an air-tight connection between the damper and the external operating means therefor. Other objects will be apparent from the following detailed description.

Briefly, I have provided a pivoted damper with a means for normally urging it into open position, said damper being, however, held in a predetermined position by an element which is designed to permit an automatic opening of the damper at elevated temperatures. In the particular embodiment shown, I provide a pivoted damper with an eccentrically mounted weight which normally urges it toward the open position and I provide a fusible link between the damper and the operating lever.

In the accompanying drawing wherein I have shown my preferred embodiment in detail and wherein similar parts are designated by like reference characters throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is .an elevation partly in section showing the relation of my damper to an oil heater, flue and stack.

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation or side View of the damper operating means.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the damper operating means.

Figure 4 is a plan showing the cover of the flue opening and the socket or bearing in which the journal disk rotates, the superstructure being removed for simplicity.

Figure 5 is a verticalsection through the journal socket or bearing.

Figure 6 shows a front and side View of one of the journal disks.

The invention will be described in connection with a pipe still 10 which is separated by baille wall 11 into a combustion chamber 12 and a convection chamber 13. Roof, licor, and/or wall tubes 14 may be exposed to radiant heat in the (ci. 19t-116) combustion chamber Vand a bank of tubes may be suitably arrangedin the convection chamber.

thev oil flowing throughthese tubes in any desired manner. v particular type of furnace, however, and is equally applicable to the so-called'DeFlorez'furnace wherein vertical tubes are arranged around-'acentral burner. Likewise, 'the invention may beVv used with any other type or class of furnace where it is desired to employ an adjustable damper in an underground nue or where it is desired to `provide an automatic means for opening such a Yit closes the opening in the ue and when it is horizontally disposed it opens the iiue to the fullest extent. A weight 20 is eccentrically mounted on the upper end of the damper so that it normally urges said damper in a clockwise direction about said pivot pin. A stop member 21 is arranged on the side or bottom of the flue which arrests the movement of weight 20 when the damper has assumed a horizontal position. Itl should be understood, of course, that other means, such as a tension spring, might be used to normally urge the damper in its open position.

A fusible link 22 is pivoted to one end of the top of damper 18 by pin a and at its other end to the bottom of lever 23 by pin b; this link may be designed to operate at temperatures of 500 F. or higher, and since per se fusible links are old in the art, I will not describe them in detail. Lever 23 extends through an opening 24 in the top of the flue casing and it also extends through and is secured in journal disk 25, this disk or ball being rotatable in a suitable bearing or socket as will be hereinafter described. The opening 24 is preferably defined by channel plates 26 on the sides thereof and plates 26a on the ends thereof, the end plates being slightly inclined as shown in Figure 2 to allow for movement of the operating lever. A rectangular plate 27 is secured to the top of the casing above the opening 24 by means of bolts 28 imbedded in the concrete. Plate 29 is preferably an integral part of plate 2'7, or it may be welded or secured thereto in any suitable manner. Plate 30 is held against plate 29 by bolts 31 which also hold the angle irons 32 that support the flared plates 33. Lever 23 The invention'is notlimited to anyment of the lever in both directions being limited by bushings on bolts 36. These bolts and bushings serve to reinforce the flared plates and hold them in xed position.

Referring to Figures 4, 5, and 6, it will be noted that the lower plate 29 is provided with a central opening. This opening is rectangular in horizontal section and in the transverse vertical section, but in the lengthwise vertical section the opening is circular with its maximum diameter in the plane of the top of the plate. Similarly, plate 30 is provided with a circular'opening-which registers with the opening in plate 29. Circular walls 37 in plate 29 and 38 in plate 30 act as bearings for the journal disk 25. This journal disk preferably consists of a pair of disks 40 provided With channels 41 for engaging the lever 23. Instead of using a pair of 'disks with co-operating channels, Imay use a single disk with a diametric hole through which the lever may be inserted. A sphere or other journal member may be used instead of disks, the sockets or journals in plates 29 and 30 being designed accordingly.

'I'he important feature is the use of a substantially air-tight journal, or bearing member so that, under normal conditions, the products of combustion in the iiue will not Vbe unduly diluted and cooled by the inltration of air.

While I have disclosed a weight for normally urging the damper to an open position, it should be ,understood that other means, such as a spring,

may be employed. Instead of usingaiusible" defined bythe following claim which should bev construed as broadly as the priorlart will permit. Y

- Iclaim:

In combination, a furnace, a flue for carrying away the products of combustion of said furnace, a damper in said ue, means normally urging said ilue damper into open position, and manually controllable means .for opening and closingrsaid damper independently `of said iirst named means,

said damper opening and closing means including a fusible link adapted to part under high lilue temperatures, thereby Yto renderf said controllable opening and'closing means ineffective and torender operative said means ier urging. said,`

damper into open position.

WALLACE BRUCE MA'I'IIEWS., 

